Thinking About a Divorce?
Here are Ten Things to Consider:
MARRIAGE IS GOOD FOR YOUR CHILDREN. Children raised outside of marriage are 5 times more likely to experience poverty. Children with married parents are more successful – they are less likely to drop out of high school and more likely to graduate from college and land better jobs.
MARRIAGE IS HEALTHIER FOR YOU. Married men and women live longer and experience better health than similar adults who are not married. Unmarried men and unmarried women are 2 and ½ times, respectively, more likely to die before age 65.
MARRIAGE IS GOOD FOR YOUR POCKETBOOK. Married men and women earn more and save more than singles or unmarried couples. Working together in a healthy, lifelong partnership, men and women actually produce more, spend less, and save and invest more wisely and unattached people – even singles with the same education and jobs. Divorce devastates most family's finances.
MARRIAGE IS GOOD FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH. Adults who are married report being happier and are less likely to be depressed or show other signs of mental illness and distress. Children whose parents stay married have lower rates of suicide and other psychological disorders.
MARRIAGE IS GOOD FOR YOUR SEX LIFE. Married couples report having better and more frequent sex than single people. Married couples are more faithful and committed which leads to a safer, more satisfying sex life physically and emotionally.
MARRIAGE IS GOOD FOR YOUR FAMILY’S LEGACY. As adults, children whose parents get and stay married are twice as likely to say they have warm, close relationships with their parents. Both fathers and mother remain closer to their kids when they stay together.
DIVORCE IS NOT LIKELY TO MAKE YOU HAPPIER. Two out of three unhappily married adults that avert divorce report being happily married five years later. Only one out of five unhappy spouses that proceeded with divorce report being happily remarried within that same time period. Step-family marriages have a 65% failure rate.
MARRIAGE EDUCATION CAN TEACH NEW SKILLS. Many couples did not grow up with good role models for a successful marriage. Through taking marriage enrichment courses, or attending marriage intensive workshops, couples can learn conflict resolution skills necessary for making their marriage work.
GOOD MARITAL INTERVENTION CAN RESTORE 80% OF “ON THE BRINK” MARRIAGES. Trained coaching couples can provide valuable information, inspiration, accountability and support to a couple that is struggling but committed to their marriage relationship.
HOUSE ON THE ROCK FAMILY MINISTRIES CAN HELP! by providing marriage enrichment events and intervention intensives for couples that want to SAVE THEIR MARRIAGES.
Most of these items were taken from “Why Marriage Matters: 21 Conclusions from the Social Sciences: available from www.americanvalues.org.
House on the Rock Family Ministries is the parent ministry organization of Fan the Flame Marriage Intensives. You can learn more about us at www.hotrfm.org You can read our doctrinal statement here
Dr. Bruce and Karen McCracken are our primary intensive facilitators. They've been married for 40 years and have 2 adult sons ... and 2 lovely grand daughters.